Trainee Counter-Drone Systems Engineer

This opportunity includes a significant overseas training commitment. Successful candidates must be willing and able to live and work near Le Plessis-Robinson, in the Paris area, for a total of approximately six months during their first year of employment.

Location: Hemel Hempstead, with extended training periods in France.

Start date: Candidates must be available to start by the end of September 2026.

Travel pattern: Six months in France and six months in the UK during the first year, typically structured as three months in France, three months in the UK, followed by the same rotation again.

Sopra Steria is building a brand-new Counter-Uncrewed Air Systems capability in the UK, supporting the protection of people, critical infrastructure and major events from evolving drone threats. We are looking for motivated, practical and technically curious individuals who want to begin or develop a career within counter-drone technology, systems integration and engineering. This is an entry-level development opportunity, so we are not necessarily looking for candidates with extensive commercial experience. You may have gained relevant knowledge through education, personal projects, military experience, gaming, electronics, building computers, drones, radio-controlled vehicles or an interest in networks, Linux and Windows systems.

You will receive extensive hands-on training from experienced engineering colleagues in France, learning how to configure, test, demonstrate and support Sopra Steria’s BOREADES counter-drone system. BOREADES brings together technologies including radar, radio frequency sensors, cameras, artificial intelligence and command-and-control software to detect, track and respond to drone threats.

What you will be doing:

• Learn to configure, operate and test the BOREADES counter-drone system across Windows, Linux, network, sensor and hardware environments.
• Prepare equipment and system configurations for customer demonstrations, evaluations, trials and industry events.
• Support the installation, integration and testing of sensors, communications equipment and other system components.
• Undertake structured fault-finding, capture technical evidence and escalate complex issues to engineering colleagues in France.
• Produce clear technical documentation, including configuration notes, test results, demonstration scripts and supporting information for bids.
• Work closely with UK and French engineering teams to ensure systems are safe, reliable and ready for customer use.

What you will bring:

• A degree, qualification or equivalent practical experience in engineering, IT, electronics, computing, networking or another relevant technical subject.
• A practical interest in technology, which may include networks, Linux, Windows, electronics, drones, model vehicles, radio-controlled equipment, gaming or building computers.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to follow technical processes and troubleshoot issues methodically.
• A self-starting and adaptable approach, with good attention to detail, personal ownership and a commitment to completing work to a high standard.
• Clear written and verbal English communication skills, including GCSE English or an equivalent qualification.
• A full UK driving licence.

It would be great if you had:

• Previous hands-on experience with drones, electronics, sensors, networking, Linux or Windows-based technical systems.
• Awareness of radar, radio frequency, cameras, artificial intelligence, system integration or counter-drone technologies.
• Basic French language skills or previous experience of living, studying or working overseas.

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Hertfordshire - full time on site

Security Clearance Level: willingness to go through SC

Internal Recruiter: Josh

Salary: Up to £35k

Benefits: 25 days’ holiday with the option to purchase up to an additional 10 days per year, 6% pension contribution, Health Shields medical account, life assurance at 4x salary.

Sopra Steria’s Aerospace, Defence and Security business designs, develops and deploys digital solutions to Central Government clients. The work we do makes a real difference to the client’s goal of National Security, and we operate in a unique and privileged environment. We are given time for professional development activities, and we coach and mentor our colleagues, sharing knowledge and learning from each other. We foster a culture in which employees feel valued and supported and have pride in their work for the customer, delivering outstanding rates of customer satisfaction in the UK’s most complex safety- and security-critical markets. We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We have partnered with Vercida, the UK’s largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.